Kentucky man ordered to repay $10K for rolling back mileage on used cars
A Kentucky man who helped defraud customers by rolling back odometer readings on used vehicles has been ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
A judge also placed Donnie Wilson on probation for three years.
Wilson worked for Randy Huff, who owned South Side Auto Sales in Bowling Green and Huff’s Auto Sales in Beaver Dam, according to the court record.
Huff admitted coming up with a scheme to replace odometers in cars, trucks and SUVs to show they had fewer miles on them, which allowed him to sell the vehicles for more money.
When an employee told Huff at one point a vehicle he was buying to resell at his car lot had too many miles, Huff responded, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of that,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond D. McGee said in a sentencing memorandum.
An investigator for the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Commission told Huff in 2020 he was not following the proper procedure for replacing odometers, which includes putting a sticker on the vehicle to disclose the change.
Huff said he would make the corrections but kept defrauding customers, according to the prosecution memo.
Wilson’s main job for Huff was to complete paperwork for car titles at the Bowling Green cat lot, according to the sentencing memo.
That included fraudulent paperwork to conceal the true odometer readings on vehicles.
Many forms included the forged signatures of customers. Huff said he had permission by the victims to sign documents, but authorities couldn’t find any customers who verified that, according to the sentencing memo.
One mechanic confirmed he replaced about 80 odometer systems at Huff’s direction.
The example cited in the sentencing memo was a 2010 Nissan Xterra that had 211,184 miles when Huff bought it at auction.
He had the odometer replaced with one showing 71,835 miles, allowing him to sell it for thousands of dollars above the book value.
Wilson pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy and odometer tampering.
Huff has pleaded guilty but has not been sentenced. His plea deal calls for prosecutors to recommend a sentence between 24 and 30 months in prison.
McGee said the government also anticipates seeking a higher amount of restitution from him.
Chief U.S. District Judge Greg N. Stivers sentenced Wilson Tuesday.
The sentence includes a requirement for him to participate in substance-abuse treatment.
